Stefani Zinerman - AD 56

Stefani Zinerman

Office Sought: New York State Assembly – District 56 (Bedford-Stuyvesant & Crown Heights)

Campaign Site: 407 Lewis Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11233

Endorsements so far: Unified Political Organization, Congressman Hakeem Jeffries, Attorney General Letitia James, and Speaker Carl Heastie.

Why do you want to represent your neighbors and fellow Brooklynites in Albany? (100 words max)

I am running to continue delivering bold, people-centered leadership for Bedford-Stuyvesant and Crown Heights. Our neighbors deserve a representative who listens, shows up, and turns community priorities into real policy wins. As a lifelong advocate and three-term Assemblymember, I’ve passed legislation, secured funding, and built partnerships that protect homeowners, expand workforce pathways, strengthen public health, and advance racial, economic, and gender justice. I seek to represent Brooklynites who believe government should be accountable, accessible, and courageous in the fight for dignity, opportunity, and self-determination.

What difference will you make for your community? (100 words max)

I will continue building an Albany-to-Brooklyn pipeline grounded in equity, inclusion, and accountability that delivers tangible results: stronger tenant and homeowner protections, union career pathways, youth civic leadership, accessible healthcare, and investments in cultural preservation and community safety rooted in care. I center affordability as income, housing stability, and quality public services, because freedom and dignity require both rights and resources. My work connects legislation to on-the-ground programs so families can feel policy in their daily lives. The difference I make is simple: I turn community voices into action and help build a government worthy of the people it serves.

How will you support and empower the LGBTQ+ community, particularly at a time when transgender people are under sustained attack from the Trump Administration? (100 words max)

I will always stand unequivocally with LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, especially trans and gender-nonconforming people, including those of color, who are under attack. That means advancing strong anti-discrimination laws, protecting access to gender-affirming healthcare, supporting housing and employment protections, and fully funding community-based LGBTQ+ services. I will use my platform to challenge federal overreach and cruelty, pass state-level safeguards, and ensure New York remains a refuge for those seeking safety and dignity. I take my role as a mandated reporter seriously and will use my power as a legislator to protect the rights of Black

and Brown LGBTQ+ communities, immigrant LGBTQ+ New Yorkers, youth, survivors of violence, and all who are targeted for who they are or who they love.

How will you support and empower Brooklynites being targeted by I.C.E? (100 words max)

I support New York for All and policies that limit cooperation with I.C.E., protect due process, and keep families together. In the district, I lead and support ongoing Know Your Rights workshops, legal clinics, and rapid-response education to protect our community from I.C.E. enforcement and intimidation. This outreach is paired with organizing that ensures every resident has the information, training, and confidence to help keep their family and neighbors safe. I will continue funding legal defense, know-your-rights education, and community-based immigration services. New York must remain a sanctuary in practice, not just in name. No one should live in fear for simply trying to survive and provide for their family.

Who did you endorse in the 2025 Mayoral Election, in both the primary and the general election? (100 words max)

I endorsed Adrienne Adams in the Democratic primary. My support was grounded in her record of principled leadership, deep relationships with working-class communities, and commitment to governing with equity, competence, and transparency. My practice regarding endorsements is to support candidates who are aligned with my community’s values and who commit to working collaboratively to advance shared goals and improve the quality of life for my constituents. Candidates on the Independent and Republican lines did not meet that standard, and the Democratic nominee did not engage in a conversation about a shared agenda.

Although you are running for a state legislative position, we recognize that our state elected officials have an important voice in local political communities. With that in mind, do you/will you support the Brooklyn Can’t Wait slate of District Leader candidates and Brooklyn Can’t Wait’s reforms to make our local party more accountable, transparent, inclusive, and effective? (100 words max)

I have not yet had the opportunity to meet with the Brooklyn Can’t Wait coalition, but I am aligned with the values that animate people-powered, community-rooted democracy. I support leaders who listen to their neighbors, organize around shared values, engage in good-faith dialogue, and build relationships to move change forward. Yes, I support reforms that make our local party more democratic, transparent, inclusive, and accountable. A healthy party must reflect the people it serves and create real pathways for community participation, youth leadership, and grassroots organizing. I welcome efforts that strengthen trust, broaden representation, and modernize our party infrastructure so it better serves Brooklyn’s diverse communities.

Similarly, we recognize that our state elected officials have an important voice in national political dialogue as well. How will you use your voice to speak out about ending US

support for the genocide in Gaza and putting a stop to the aggression being implemented by the Trump Administration against Venezuela, Greenland, and other areas? (100 words max)

I will continue calling for an immediate ceasefire, the protection of civilians, the release of hostages and detainees, and unrestricted humanitarian aid in Gaza. I oppose collective punishment and the dehumanization of any people. As a member of the NAACP Brooklyn Branch, I have and will continue to speak out against imperial aggression and economic warfare targeting nations like Venezuela and threats toward Greenland and others. I was taught to stand for human rights and I will consistently support diplomacy and peace over war.

Legislation:

[Please answer “yes” or “no” for each piece of legislation. Feel free to add additional discussion of your perspective on the legislation.]

Do you support the Gender Identity, Respect, Dignity, and Safety Act (GIRDS) (A5478/S1049A)? Yes

Do you support Cecilia’s Act for Rights in the S*x Trades S2513/A3251 (formerly SVSTA) (A3251/S2513)? Yes

Do you support the New York Health Act (A1466/S3425)? Yes

Do you support the Repeal STI Discrimination Act (A733A/S4545A)? Yes

Do you support the Freedom to Read Act (A7777/S1099) and overriding the Governor’s veto of this act? Yes

Do you support the New York for All Act (A3506/S2235A)? Yes

Do you support adding a constitutional right to privacy to New York’s State Constitution (A9377/S8603)? Yes

Commitments:

If endorsed, do you commit to using LID’s full logo (will be provided) and full name on all materials and other places where you list endorsees (with the exception of lists of specific organizations (unions, etc) or elected officials)?

Do you commit to using inclusive and gender-neutral language in press releases and other announcements (e.g., “the people of the..” instead of “the men and women of the…”

Yes. If endorsed, I commit to using Lambda Independent Democrats’ full logo and full name on campaign materials and in all places where endorsees are listed, consistent with the guidelines provided. I also commit to using inclusive, gender-neutral language in press releases, public statements, and campaign communications, reflecting my belief